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by A Lonely Rainbow Girl
Summary: /ΔU/ Taken at the age of five years old, Richard Grayson lives under the watchful eye of his Master, who trains him to be the perfect apprentice. But to create something perfect, imperfections have to be fixed... [Trigger warning! Severe trauma and abuse!]
1. It's a start

_Collection of OS concerning Richard's life with Slade. Obviously, 'Apprentice' is Dick and 'Master' is Slade. This has a looot of abuse in it and hints of what is gonna come up._

 _Next chapter is where everything happens! This is more of a prologue of sorts telling you guys about Dick's childhood. Next chapter is where the story actually starts!_

 _Gonna try and make each chapter at least 4k words, but no promises._

* * *

 **It's not loneliness that makes being alone unbearable. It's accepting the fact that out of the 6.93 billion people in the world, not a single soul fought hard enough to be with you.**

* * *

Slde glared at Luthor. "You want me to do what?!"

Lex wasn't phased and simply nodded his shiny bald head. "I believe an apprentice would be good for you," The billionaire continued. "With a protegee, you will have someone to take down any of the other brats the Justice League finds," He added with a dark undertone. Slade wanted to break something; preferably Luthor's neck.

"So you think I am incompetent by myself?" He asked with malice dripping from every word.

Lex shook his head. "No; I am only saying that I believe with an apprentice, you will have something to do other than sulk in your hideout and count the money you make."

Yep, killing Luthor was now on Slade's bucket list.

The Assassin glared at the billionaire. "I'll think about it," was all he said before he turned and vanished. Lex sighed and went back to signing paperwork.

 _Why is it all the creepy people do that?_

* * *

Slade sat back in his chair, thoughts turning over and over in his mind. An apprentice? The man had to be joking. He was never going to let a child go near him again; not after Grant -

Ending train of thought.

Slade sighed and glared at the newspaper article on his desk, and after a few seconds of debate, reached for it and skimmed the sorry excuse for a paper. However he felt the strongest sense of rightness as he read the title 'Circus comes to Happy Harbor! Flying Graysons Perform!' After reading the article, (and laughing at the author's obvious stupidity), Slade quickly learned that the Graysons had a five year old son, and he was a gymnastics prodigy. And the owner of the circus…. Harley? Zucco had been after the man for months.

It was as if the universe planned it all out for him.

Slade pulled out his untraceable phone and called his information broker, a dark gleam in his hidden eye. _You wanted me to get an apprentice Luthor? Your wish is granted at the expense of innocent lives._

* * *

 **~ Six Years Old ~**

* * *

The little boy shivered in the room. It was dimly lit, and what little light was there hardly made a difference. But the boy's wide, glowing blue eyes resonated deep pain and loss as he shivered, naked in the almost darkness. There was nothing in the room except for a dingy tile floor that was covered with unknowns. Dried blood and spoilt food littered the ground, caking the boy's naked form as he curled into himself. Looking at the boys' broken and trembling form, one's heart would break as the child couldn't have been more than six years old.

A small voice broke the silence. "Mami? Tati?" The little boy lifted his head, blue eyes glowing unearthly in the dim light. "Why did you fall…?"

A sound could be heard; keys in a lock. The gears quivered and shifted, an unseen door opening. A figure stood, light shadowing their form and making them a silhouette. "Have you learned your lesson Apprentice?" The voice asked, malice edging their tone. Apprentice flinched at the figure's words and answered quickly, fear replacing the dazed look in his eyes. "Y-yes master."

Master moved forward, and the dim light revealed their appearance. Black spandex suit with orange and back body armor, fitting closely yet leaving gaps to allow a large amount of flexibility. The man's face - for it was indeed a man - was concealed by a two faced mask; one side was painted black, and the other was orange and exposed an eyehole.

"Come Apprentice," Master ordered, and Apprentice shakily stood to his feet. Master handed Apprentice a thin pair of shorts, which the boy quickly hopped into. They left the room and walked down a sparsely lit hallway. Apprentice followed Master as fast as he could, forcing himself to keep up to Master's stride. Coming to the end of the hallway, Master stood in front of a door and opened it, slinking inside.

Apprentice followed soon after, his footsteps silent on the cold tile floor. Inside, the room was damp and quite cold. Apprentice shivered, and as he stepped into the fluorescent light, his appearance became apparent. Blood, dirt and grime caked every inch of his body. His matted hair hung halfway to his shoulders, and it was so greasy and dust filled one could hardly tell the original color.

Master flicked a switch on the side of the wall, and moved behind a concealed door. Apprentice took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut, holding onto a drain pipe for dear life.

Torrents of water shot from all directions, hitting him dead on and flinging him to the ground. Apprentice choked and sputtered, the water continuing to fall with no sign of stopping. When it seemed the boy was going to drown in the power hose shower, the water turned into a fine mist, and he gasped for air, sitting on the tile, most of the grime gone but not quite.

As he started to scrub himself with the collected water on the ground and mist in the air, the grime and dirt fell to the floor, revealing a much more horrid sight. Scars littered his body in a torturous way, most having a silvery sheen but others looking recently inflicted. And some… some were words. Words and phrases that cut into his skin and seemed to make marks on his very soul.

 _Useless, worthless, nothing, ugly, stupid, never good enough, you will never amount to anything_ \- They went on and on and on.

Apprentice started to wash out his long shaggy hair, the grease slowly leaving. His wiry limbs looked no more than skin covering bones. Ribs made themselves known; four poking out from the skin, eight more still hidden yet it didn't take one very long to realize if the child did not receive food soon, he would perish.

Soon, the boy was completely clean, his hair dripping wet, it's raven black color shining in the dim lights. Master walked out from the air tight room and handed the boy a dingy towel and a fresh change of clothes, his parting words being, "Dress yourself and report to the training room."

Apprentice bowed low as Master left, and then he quickly dried himself off with the towel, scrubbing his hair as fast as he could and hopping into a black spandex suit, orange thread and an 'S' symbol emblazoned on the chest. The fabric covered every inch of his skin, and as the boy placed the half mask over his face, he sighed and turned his face up to the flickering fluorescent lights, his blue eyes closed and a look of peace forming on his young face.

"I love you Mami, Tati," He whispered into the air. "Even if you do not love me."

* * *

 **~ Eight Years Old ~**

* * *

Master glared down at Apprentice. "You worthless brat! Disobedience is not tolerated!" He struck the boy, who cowered on the tile floor.

"I'm s-sorry Master! P-please!" He cried, holding his hands in front of his face in a desperate attempt to escape the inevitable blows.

"I do not accept mercy," Master spat, and a coil was unwound from his hands. Apprentice saw this, and his blue eyes widened in fear. A whimper escaped him, but his eyes were cold and accepting. It was inevitable.

The rope fell down, down, down… blood dripped onto the tile floor, deep gashes forming in his skin, old scars tingling and newer ones threatening to re-open. Apprentice bit his lip, knowing that if he made a single sound, Master would punish him severely. As the eighth lash fell, Apprentice squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip harder, drawing blood; his untrimmed nails digging into his palms and adding to the blood flow.

At last, the fifteenth lash had landed, and the searing pain and drip-drip-drop of the blood on his back landing on the tile was the only sound in the room. Master rolled the whip back up into a coil and placed it back on his belt. Apprentice made no sound, not wanting to displease Master. Something was thrown at him, and Apprentice looked down at the object that had landed next to his hands. It was a rag.

"Clean up your mess," Master ordered, placing a bucket next to the boy. Apprentice nodded and stood shakily to his feet, bowing to Master and nearly biting a hole in his lip. Master left the room, and Apprentice quickly got to work, ignoring the searing pain in his back. It wouldn't do to displease Master.

* * *

 **~ Ten Years Old ~**

* * *

Apprentice dodged the bullet, swinging off the high bar and kicking the dummy in the face. Rubber coated bullets flew around him, and one nicked his ear, but Apprentice ducked in time. Twirling his bo-staff, he stopped all of the bullets surging for him, and the few he missed made impact with the wall behind him.

Breathing hard, Apprentice glared at his bangs as they landed in his eyes. As the mechanical whirring stopped, Apprentice forced himself to be calm as he stood at attention when Master walked towards him, inspecting his progress. Seeing the abundance of bullets on the ground, Master eyed Apprentice and nodded his approval.

Apprentice felt his heart swell, and he stood a bit straighter, blue eyes gleaming. Master's gaze fell onto the wall, and the approval in his stance was replaced with disgust, and he whirled around and hit Apprentice in the face, leaving an angry hand shaped welt.

"Again," Master hissed, and Apprentice nodded. "Yes Master."

Master left the room, and the machines started to whirr again. Apprentice readied his bo-staff and prepared to start again, determination in his bright blue eyes, ignoring the sting of the blow that Master had dealt. After all, he had failed. He deserved the punishment.

Bullets started to spray him in all directions, and Apprentice hit them all, twirling in the room, the rubber bullets hitting the ground. He wanted to be praised again, to be _loved_ again - _The silhouettes of a family fell to the ground, their blood soaking the earth, their forms broken and misshapen_ \- But he was never loved by them. Master was the only one who cared for him, because to everyone else, he was just a worthless nothing.

He had the scars to prove it.

* * *

 **~ Eleven Years Old ~**

* * *

Apprentice glared at the hair that fell in front of his eyes. Enough was enough! A low growl in his throat, the boy gripped the dagger he had snatched from training and sat down, peering down into the bucket he was using as a mirror.

Slowly, the dark locks fell onto the floor, and the weight that had hung onto his head for so long disappeared. Quickly, he cut his bangs as short as he possibly could, and as he shook out his freshly cut hair, he decided he liked the choppy style. And the best part was that nothing would be able to get in the way of his sight!

A rare smile on his face, Apprentice picked up every stray hair that had landed on the ground and put it into a small makeshift basket he had snatched from melting rubber from the training room.

Soon the room was spotless and Apprentice dunked his head into the bucket of water, coming up every two seconds in case Master walked inside and held him down for longer.

As Apprentice decided no more small hairs would make him itchy during training, he heard footsteps and his heart froze. Master was coming.

Like a rocket, Apprentice grabbed a towel and scrubbed his hair dry, panic in his eyes. With seconds to spare, he wiped up the water around the bucket and hunched himself over, making his eleven year old frame smaller.

Master looked down at the boy, and seeing his newly cut hair, growled.

"What did you do, Apprentice?" Master snarled.

Apprentice forced himself to answer without stuttering. "I was being hampered by the hair that hung in m-my face s-so I decided to c-cut it o-off-"

"With what?" Master all but screamed. Apprentice threw his hands over his head in a defensive position; this was a bad idea Master was going to beat him again, oh no no no no _no_ -

"W-with a d-dagger," Apprentice whimpered. Master looked all but furious as he gripped the small blade in his hands, and then drove it down into Apprentice's shoulder. The boy let out an ear piercing scream, fire coursing through his nerves as Master dragged the blade down farther.

"I thought I made myself perfectly clear," Master hissed, letting go of the blade and stepping back to kick the young boy in the stomach, "You do not speak unless spoken to, you do not touch anything without direction, and you do not handle weapons _outside of the training room_."

Apprentice let out another soft whimper as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore the pain that coursed through him.

"What is the punishment for taking something that doesn't belong to you?"

Apprentice opened his eyes and shakily whispered, "No food, f-fifteen lashes and the w-weapon you t-take is used on y-you."

"Good boy." The voice purred, but Apprentice was too far gone to realize he had been praised.

"What is the punishment for speaking without being spoken to?"

"A broken bone," Apprentice whimpered, tears leaking out of his eyes.

"What is the consequence for touching something your Master does not give you consent to?"

Apprentice bit his lip to bite back the scream. "The room."

Master nodded and picked the boy up by his suit, orange and black colors bleeding into the background.

"You will regret ever being born today," Master sneered, and Apprentice couldn't take it anymore. He melted into the darkness.

* * *

 **~ Thirteen Years Old ~**

* * *

He was running through a tunnel, passing by colorful walls and laughing, happy faces. He stopped at a shining light and raised his hands up to a silhouette, who picked him up and held him close. She smelled like vanilla and popcorn, and as he rested on her hip, the overwhelming sense of safety threatened to drown him.

"One day you will fly, my little robin," She said to him and laid her lips onto his forehead, and he scrunched up his face into a pout. Vaguely he realized his actions were not his own; but the thoughts inside his mind, the knowledge and horror of what was going to happen, what he knew was going to happen made him want to scream.

A man appeared next to the woman and ruffled his hair, a grin on his face. "See ya Rob," The man beamed, and then he was standing on his own again, the sound of cheering crowds nearly deafening him as the ringmaster continued to announce the act.

And then all was silent and the light faded away, the bright and cheerful colors on either side of him looking oddly sinister. Blood started to fill the hall, and it covered everything. A man's haunting face stood above all the bodies, glaring at the ringmaster in the untold sense of _I told you so_.

The blood was starting to drown him, and right as he was about to fall under and never resurface, strong hands pulled him out and into a dark room where the man brandished his whips and knives as he carved the words into him. "They never loved you," The man told him as he was raised into the air. "No one loves you."

And then he shot awake, voice hoarse from screaming. Apprentice was met with a dark room, and as he moved his legs and felt the filth that coated him yet again, he remembered. He disobeyed Master and was in the room. He had a nightmare.

Shivering, Apprentice curled himself into a ball yet again and fought the urge to make any more noise. He was always punished for screaming.

And as his eyes started to close and his mind slip into the oblivion of sleep, a sense of peace washed over him as the beautiful voice hummed in his ear.

 _"One day you will fly, my little robin."_

The welcoming scent of vanilla and popcorn washed over the boy as he once again sank into unconsciousness.

* * *

Slade wanted to break something. How dare that child disobey him again and again?! None of the whippings, carvings and isolation seemed to get the point across. He needed to try something new, something that would instill obedience into the child. Glancing down at his phone, Slade hesitated before dialing the number. "Tetch? I'm in need of a favor…"

* * *

 _So... yeah. I'll be repeating some of this stuff [Like that Richard's mom smells like vanilla and popcorn; will appear frequently.] The part where he is cleaned off by a power hose will also be a major factor in this story, and next chapter: The League discover's Apprentice's existence and whisk him away to the safety of the Watchtower!_

 _Batman/Richard moments will happen soon; not right away tho, because the kid needs bonding time with the other Leaguers. AND! He is his rightful age (13) next chapter and up, but his mentality switches from a six year old to a thirteen year old here and there. [Ex: Is like a six year old when he's terrified and gets a panic attack; develops his usual 'Robin' mentality later on.]_

 _This chapter was 3k words! Next will be 4k! [Probably. No promises, but it will be higher than 1k. Promise.]_


	2. Little One

_I'm back! And man this chapter is a doozy. Torn and Frayed fans, never fear! Updates are coming :D_

 _And this is where it all happens, I promise._

 _IF YOU HAVE ANY TORTURE OR PLOT IDEAS, SHARE. I NEED THE KNOWLEDGE._

 _I reccomend_ Robindanewsie _'s story_ The Apprentice _if you want an awesome angst filled, de-aged Robin story. But don't leave mine! I'm getting there :)_

Dratias: _Dude, awesome review! I have many new ideas now! Thanks X)_

* * *

 _ **I do not own Young Justice. This is fan fiction. (Which means I need to get a life.)**_

* * *

 **My feelings?**

 **Oh don't** **worry**

 **about** **those,**

 **no one** **else**

 **does.**

* * *

Master stepped into the room, and Apprentice looked up, eyes dazed and form shivering. Ignoring this, he waited for Apprentice to struggle to his feet and bow his head. When the boy had done this, Master backhanded him with a sneer.

"Don't take as long."

The answer came as a vigorous nod, and Master debated whether to whip the boy for not speaking but decided it wasn't worth it; he was on a schedule. Reaching behind him, Master withdrew a long set of chains. At the sight of them, Apprentice's eyes widened and a tremor wracked his body and his fingers dug into his palms, knuckles white as he didn't remove his sapphire eyes from the clinking ornaments. Master ignored all of this and shackled the boy's ankles to a hook on the wall, adding another set of chains that attached itself to the boy's hands with wrist cuffs that rubbed closely against his skin.

Apprentice had a fearful yet knowing look on his face, as the chains could only mean one thing: Master was leaving for a long time.

As the man left the room, the door locking behind him, Apprentice huddled into a corner, stretching the chains almost as far as they could go. A sigh escaped his chapped lips as he wondered how long his Master would be gone.

The last time took nearly a week.

* * *

 ** _They say_**

* * *

Superman watched as the helicopter carrying Slade took off and he moved to go after it, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "No, we need to see what Slade has been up to," Wonder Woman reminded him. Superman cast a glare in the helicopter's' direction and followed Diana as they flew over to the hidden compound.

Flash was already there, and Green Arrow stood on the roof, arrow nocked and eyes peeled for any threats.

"Where's Batman?" Superman called out. Flash shrugged as he polished off his banana.

"Dunno. He said something about the kid's going on a rampage at the Cave."

They all paused to digest what Barry had just said. All of the batkids? Running around the Cave and brandishing their mini-batarangs?

"Gods help us," Diana groaned and Clark agreed with her, trying to ignore the fear in his chest. He was the Last Kryptonian! He didn't do scared.

Oliver jumped down from the roof and landed gracefully. "All clear," He said and moved to enter the haunt.

As Diana created an entrance for them, Clark froze as the sound of whirring mechanisms reached his ears. "Down!" He shouted and they all ducked, a machine gun coming to life and nicking Barry in the shoulder.

Undeterred, Oliver shot his namesake at the gun, which sputtered and died. All of the heroes exchanged glances, each one of them coming to the silent agreement that splitting up would be a bad idea.

Quickly, they all slipped inside, Superman fingering the flash drive Batman had made for intel gathering missions. As the four Leaguers went inside the building, it took them longer than usual to get to a computer because of all the traps, Kryptonite and dead ends they stumbled across.

Fifteen minutes later, they finally reached the main room and Clark plugged the drive inside while Flash zipped around, and Diana gazed at the security footage. Arrow kept his eye on the doorway, and as the firewalls started to crumble, Wonder Woman gasped and stared in horror at one of the screens.

Flash zipped over to her side. "What is it princess?" He asked, and she pointed at the screen, and Barry's eyes widened underneath the mask.

"No way…"

Oliver walked over to them and got a good look at the screen, his voice trembling slightly as he called out, "Superman, you might want to see this."

Clark walked away from the laptop and peered at the screen, his fists clenching and his blue eyes turning a burning red.

"Where is this room?"

* * *

 ** _That home is_**

* * *

Apprentice tugged on the chains, fiddling with the arm bands and hissing as the cold metal rubbed against his skin. This sucked. He was going to be stuck inside the room for who knew how long, and he was chained to the wall - Which told him several things;

1 - His Master wanted him to be out of the chains by the time he got back.

2 - Master was leaving the compound and going somewhere.

Apprentice shivered. The last time Master left, he brought a strange-looking man with him. A telepath.

He hated telepaths. The way they snuck into your mind and _changed_ things - He hated it.

Apprentice hated a lot of things, like the room and being punished and being touched by anyone. Oh, and telepaths. Telepaths definitely made the list.

Sighing, Apprentice lay on his back and ignored the grime that sank into his freshly cut hair. He ran his hand through the choppy style.

Was cutting his hair worth getting punished and sentenced to the room?

The throbbing pain on his back clearly told him the answer to that.

The time passed slowly. With no window in the room, Apprentice was stuck with the darkness and suffocating silence that came with soundproofing the walls. Idly, he realized the reason Master didn't barge inside the room and beat him for screaming in his sleep was because of the soundproofing.

Oh yes, he loved the walls now.

Apprentice felt the need to sleep claw at him, and he forced himself to stay awake. He didn't want nightmares tonight.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Apprentice struggled against the chains to bow, to show respect when he realized with absolute shock and horror that the person in the doorway wasn't his master.

Frozen in fear, Apprentice didn't move as four people showed themselves. He let out a whimper. Was this a new punishment? Were they going to hurt him and ra-

 _Don't think about it don't think about it Master said they wouldn't ever do it again so **don't think about it!**_

The first one, a man, stood there and surveyed the room in disgust. A cape flew behind him, and a large 'S' shape was on his chest. Apprentice felt a bit of his fear fade away; the man's symbol was different and yet similar to his master's. Did that mean the man was safe?

"Hello," The man said softly, blue eyes calm and stance non threatening. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Apprentice felt like he couldn't breathe, he was so shocked. Not… hurt him? But why? He deserved everything Master did to him; he deserved the carvings and isolation and pain because he was nothing, he was always nothing and they died because he wasn't _good enough_ to **_save them -_**

A tear fell down his cheek, and then another and another. Soon he was sobbing in a heap on the floor, the chains dangling by his arms and feet as he continued to cry.

A hand was placed on his shoulder, and the action was so foreign that he flinched away, shooting his gaze upwards to meet kind blue eyes and long raven hair. She smelled of the earth and flowers, and had an air of power about her.

 _She is safe,_ his instincts seemed to tell her, and Apprentice allowed himself to be drawn into her eyes, not realizing she was being drawn into his own.

It was unspoken, what she was prepared to do. What he needed. A soft, sad smile spread across her face and she enveloped him into a hug.

"You are safe now, little one. You are _safe_."

The final tear fell down his face and he melted into her arms and the darkness that had threatened to swallow him in the nightmares.

* * *

 ** _where the heart is..._**

* * *

Wonder Woman held onto the boy tightly as the four heroes stepped into the Zeta Tubes, Superman holding the drive in one hand, knuckles white for the other. As they appeared at the Watchtower, Flash instantly zipped away, saying, "I'm gonna get J'onn!"

Green Arrow grabbed a blanket and set it around the boy's shoulders, and Superman put the flash drive onto Batman's holoboard and returned his attention to the incoming speedster and Martian, who took one look at the child in Diana's arms before his eyes narrowed and he marched off towards the infirmary, the other Super's following close behind.

As the Martian quickly prepared the Med-scanner, Barry moved to take the boy from Diana and put him down on the medical bed when the kid's eyes snapped open and he let out an ear piercing screech that caused the speedster to drop him. The boy hit the tile and scrambled underneath the bed, shivering and mumbling words that those with super hearing could hear.

"P-please don't hurt m-me…"

Clark steeled himself and crouched down to look into the boy's eyes, trying to make himself seem as kind and non threatening as possible.

"Hey there kiddo. Remember me?"

The boy shook his head slowly as the lost and confused look in his eyes faded. "N-no…"

Clark flashed him a warm smile, though internally he wanted to break something. How dare Slade do this to a child! A _child!_

He took a deep breath and let it out, putting on a warm smile for the boy. "My name is Clark," He added, and turned and pointed to the other heroes in the room. "That's Oliver, Diana, J'onn and Barry." Turning back to face the child, he kindly asked, "What's your name?"

* * *

 ** _But what if you_**

* * *

Apprentice was terrified. He woke up in a woman's arms - someone safe - and then someone tried to take him from her. Someone NOT safe.

He would have protected her, but she had an air of power that clearly said, _I can handle myself_. So he landed on the ground and was about to attack the person that dared to harm his safe person when he realized he would be going against five ultra strong people.

So he did the next best thing: Scurry underneath the nearest thing and beg for forgiveness.

But then they surprised him. The man with the cape - The Strong man - had made himself look kind. And gentle. Why? He had disobeyed a rule; he was never supposed to attack any of his masters. His purpose was to train and take the beatings because he was a worthless nothing.

Apparently Strong didn't understand this.

So he was so shocked when the man asked him a question, he answered. And mentally cursed himself; this was just a ploy to get him out and beat him!

But that idea faltered as he gazed into Strong's eyes. Eyes that told him he was safe. That this man was safe.

But that was ridiculous. He could only have one Safe person. Two was… was...

Strong sucked in a deep breath and smiled at Apprentice, though the boy knew it was fake. The man's stance and body language told all. He was pissed.

Apprentice struggled not to whimper as he tore his gaze away from the man. He was going to be whipped again.

"My name is Clark," The man told him, and turned and pointed to the other heroes in the room. "That's Oliver-"

Apprentice eyed the blonde haired man and his arrows warily. Last time he encountered someone with arrows, he got several stuck inside him. Not fun.

"Diana-"

The safe woman. Apprentice blinked in surprise as the Strong man - Clark - continued to tell him names. What was he - Oh. _Oh._ They wanted him to use their names. But he wasn't worth calling them by their names! He was their Apprentice, nothing more!

"J'onn-" Apprentice fought back a smile as he gazed at the green skinned… man? He looked like the type of person that wouldn't hurt him. Or beat him, unlike the man with the Arrows.

"-and Barry." Apprentice eyed the man wearing the bright red one-suit warily. Energy seemed to pool around him, and while it was a lot, it also seemed to disappear as soon. He also seemed like the type that would argue about his punishments; try to keep them from being too harsh.

Apprentice liked Green and Red. They seemed nice.

Turning back to face the child, Strong asked, "What's your name?"

Apprentice's eyes widened in horror. W- what? That- This- wha-

Master's didn't do that! Master's only directed, made him serve! They don't ask him for his name! He was trash! He didn't deserve a name!

Fighting to keep his emotions under control, Apprentice knew he was going to have to ask. It was too confusing to not ask!

A whimper escaped him this time, and he winced, waiting for the blow. Eyeing Green and Red, Apprentice steeled his nerves and hoped that they would keep the others from beating him.

"I d-don't understand M-master Clark," He whispered, cursing himself. No! He stuttered again! They were going to beat him…

Strong didn't fight the rage that crossed over his face, and Apprentice flinched and pushed himself farther away from the man. They were angry with him, he realized as he looked at all of their faces. They were furious.

He did it again.

* * *

 ** _have no heart left_**

* * *

"I d-don't understand M-master Clark…"

Clark felt like he was going to be sick. Was that really how the kid thought of them? As his masters?

Oh god. Oh god was he gonna kill Slade!

The boy whimpered, and only then did Clark realize that the boy was terrified. Clark felt his heart break and he tried to explain himself to the boy. "Kid? Kiddo, I'm not mad at you," He tried desperately. "I'm mad at Slade."

The boy looked up from his curled-into-a-ball position. "Who- who's Slade?" He whispered in question. Clark mentally facepalmed. Of course Slade didn't tell the kid his name! He wanted to ensure the 'Master/Apprentice' mentality.

"That's a different name for your old Master," Barry cut in, kneeling down and peering into the boy's angelic eyes. "But you're never gonna see him again, okay?"

The boy nodded slowly, his eyes wide with wonder. "O-okay."

Barry smiled and held out his hand. "C'mon kiddo, it's got to be cramped under there."

The boy eyed Barry nervously, glancing at Clark with the unseen look of terror in his eyes. Getting the message, Clark stood to his feet and shot Barry a glance. The speedster got the message and all the heroes moved away from the bed. The boy blinked in surprise before he slowly scooted out from under the medical cot and stood to his feet, eyeing them all nervously.

Seeing the boy like this made Diana want to break something. The child's four ribs were jutting out, and his stomach was sunken in, a sure sign of malnourishment. His body was covered in dust, grime and dried blood. Some scars could be seen, and purple bruises covered his neck and face. His clothes were in tatters, the black material falling down his chest and covering his extremities.

A look of pure sadness flashed across J'onn's face before it was gone, and he stepped forward and showed the boy the Med-scanner. The boy's eyes lit up in fear, and it took them all a moment to realize it wasn't J'onn the kid was scared of, but the scanner.

Diana walked next to the boy and moved to place a hand on his shoulder, holding it back at the last second. "It's nothing to be afraid of, little one," She told him. He looked up at her, his blue eyes confused. Believing he was scared of the scanner, she continued. "This is a Med-scanner. It's like a portable x-ray and diagnostic machine in one."

The boy nodded, but still looked resigned. J'onn gave the boy a small smile. "It will not hurt," He reassured. The boy didn't look too convinced. "Can I show you?" J'onn asked kindly. The boy blinked in surprise once again, but nodded his head shyly. J'onn eyed Barry pointedly, and the speedster and pointed to his arm where the bullet had nicked him. "Don't freak, it's just a scab."

Rolling his eyes, J'onn hovered the compact device over Barry's skin, and he felt surprise emanate from the boy as no pain could be registered on Barry's face. When the scan was over, J'onn moved over to the boy and showed him the holographic screen.

"Barry has run a total of 2.3k miles in the past hour and consumed a sum of 6.7 billion calories." The boy stared at Barry, wide eyed, before the look faded from his face and he wore the emotionless mask once more. The speedster gave J'onn a defensive shrug. "What? I'm super fast so I gotta eat."

The boy's mouth twitched slightly.

Seeing this, Barry grinned and continued, his mission clear: The child must laugh. He zipped over to the medicine cabinets, purposefully tripping over the foot Oliver placed in front of him to trip the speedster.

Barry fell flat on his face, then jumped to his feet, a wide grin on his face.

"Heeey Ooooliiieee~!" He sing-songed. "Do you have any fooood~?"

Oliver rolled his eyes and tossed Barry a granola bar, and the speedster caught it in his mouth, frowning as he tried to open the package like a dog.

As he tried to lift his leg over his shoulder to scratch his ear, Barry was rewarded with a small giggle, then full blown childish laughter as the boy laughed at Barry's expense.

And then his face curled up in horror and he curled up into a small ball, his form shivering on the cold tile, eyes squeezed shut and shoulders set in fear. Diana looked at him sadly and knelt down next to him, gently placing her hand on his back, none of them missing the flinch he made, or the way his entire body looked set to run.

"What's the matter little one?" She asked softly, starting to rub his back soothingly. He looked up, his sapphire blue eyes shining with fear and confusion.

"I- I disobeyed a r-rule," He whispered. "You have to b-beat m-me now…" He lifted his head, blue eyes confused and lost.

Diana looked ready to break something, and she forced him to look into her eyes. "We will not beat you, little one," She said sternly. "No one is going to even think about such a thing."

The boy shook his head, tears falling once more. "B-but I'm worthless!" He shouted. "I deserve e-everything; all the b-beatings and the p-pain…"

Diana shook her head, full aware that the other heroes were probably concocting a mental plan to find Slade and give him a piece of their minds.

"No one deserves such a thing, little one," She soothed. "You aren't worthless to me. The Gods made you to be beautiful, and look at those gorgeous eyes!" She smiled at him. "I can't help but compare them to one of an angels!"

Barry joined in and ruffled the boy's hair. "Your hair is the perfect color!" He gushed with a wide grin.

Seeing this, Oliver sighed and poked the boy's nose. "And you're nose is pretty adorable too," He said gruffly.

J'onn gave the boy a small smile. "I can tell you will grow to be most formidable," He told the boy.

Diana smiled. "See? You are beautiful." She placed her hands by his ears and mimed pulling something out, then placed the imaginary something into her mouth, 'chewed' and then 'swallowed.'

"And all the bad things anyone ever told you are gone."

The boy stared at her, and a small smile spread across his face, and he threw his arms around her.

"Th-thank you…"

Diana smiled and held him tightly.

"You're welcome, little one. You're welcome."

* * *

 ** _to call something_**

* * *

"The plan is complete."

"And the boy?"

"With the League. They know nothing."

"Good... good."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"The boy - He will return to me per the agreement, correct?"

"Yes, yes - You will get Richard back once our allies are done with him."

"And you mean by that he will-"

"-be completely and utterly loyal to the cause, yes. He will never think of disobeying you again, Slade."

"I'm looking forward to using our little spy."

"As am I. As am I."

* * *

 ** _home?_**

* * *

 _Yes. I actually did it. Take that! Ha ha!_

 _A cliffhanger for your thoughts~!_

 _And to_ Robindanewsie _: Just dedicate the chapter and recommend my stories to read! I'd really appreciate it!_

 _Linebreak:_ _They say_ _that home is_ _where the heart is..._ _But what if you_ _have no heart left_ _to call something home?_

 _Yes, I mentioned that Dickie was raped in this chapter. Why the Med-scanner didn't detect it? The scanner only focuses on stats. Think of it like a usual doctor check up in one. It can't really do anything else._

 _Is Dick gonna bounce back super fast? Ehhh... no. May I remind you he was kidnapped at 5 years old and lived there until he was 13? So that's 8 years of brainwashing, folks. Next chapter is where the extent of his badassery [Your welcome, Dratias] and messed up life with Slade comes into light._

 _Remember these facts:_

 _Dick was usually cleaned by a power hose,_

 _He sees all of the JLA as his new Masters,_

 _Some of his scars are in the form of negative words, [This is called 'carving.' Google it.]_

 _He has TONS of scars,_

 _He sees Diana as his safe person,_

 _In his mind, J'onn is called 'Green,' Barry is 'Red,' Oliver is 'Arrow,' Clark is 'Strong,' and Diana is 'Safe.'_

 _\- and the rest you'll find out in a bit._

 _Q: If you guys can guess the dude Slade was talking to, leave it in a review and stuff._

 _IF I GET 40 REVIEWS, I WILL UPDATE WITHOUT FAIL!_


	3. Lions and Tigers and Jason, oh my

_Wow. Thanks to all the reviews! You guys are awesome! ;P_

Dratias: _You are my fave reviewer now. And all three...? Like Damian, Jason and Tim? Hmm... Wonder how I'll pull that off..._

capivara: _Say what now? Lupita Nyong'o is what?_

Sairey13: _Yes. I am having trigger moments here and there; you'll just have to see ;p_

faithandfamily1st: _No. That's wrong. [ish?] Ehhhh... read and find out._

risiehall2000: _Soon, I promise :D_

 _You guys can spam my review box all you want. Over and over again. I don't care._

 _Justice League bonding! Fluff, angst, mentions of porn, Jason and Damian and mild trigger warnings! I HAVE WARNED YOU, PEOPLE!_

 _[Important AN at the bottom. Please read.]_

* * *

 _ **I do not own Young Justice. This is fan fiction. (Which means I need to get a life.)**_

* * *

 **Thanks for telling me I'm worthless :)**

* * *

Barry led the kid down the hallway, all of the League deciding that he should eat first and shower later, though they had lended him the smallest hoodie available and a pair of old boxers. The kid had been shocked at the mere thought of getting new clothes and almost refused to put them on until J'onn stepped in and ordered him to wear them, later explaining to them all that the boy would only listen to commands.

After careful consideration, they had all agreed everyone would be more focused on the kid's story than what he was wearing. Especially since it was an old batman themed hoodie he was covered in. Which was absolutely hilarious.

So Barry was tasked with taking the kid with him to the cafeteria. And now the speedster had a nigh-on impossible mission: Learning the kid's name.

"Come on kid!" Barry whined as they turned the corner. "You can at least tell me your name!"

The boy remained silent.

Barry dropped the question as they neared the Mess, and the boy seemed to freeze as he looked past the doors. The look on his face was clear:

People.

People _everywhere._

Barry sighed and placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, and his flinch caused Barry to sigh yet again. "Hey kiddo, they're my friends. Diana's friends," He added and was rewarded with a comprehending look in the boy's eyes. Barry smiled at him and continued. "None of them are gonna hurt you, kid." A chuckle escaped him. "At most, they'll just call you adorable." Seeing the flash of pain that crossed over the boy's face, Barry stammered, "Which is a compliment because your completely adorable anddangnabbitClarkwhydidyouleave _me_ withthekid-"

Realizing he had achieved 'Speed Speech' as the League dubbed it, Barry forced himself to calm down and gave the kid a friendly smile and knelt down to look him in the eyes. "If any of them do hurt you - which they won't," He quickly added, "I'll be right next to you and will dish out the butt-kicking they deserve." With that, Barry struck a pose and was rewarded with a totally adorable giggle.

 _My god, the kid looks like an angel and laughs like one too,_ Barry realized with a wide grin. _Totally worth looking like an idiot._

They walked through the doors, and the boy shied away from it all, ducking close to Barry and - Oh my gosh oh my gosh _ohmygosh_ \- Held Barry's hand.

Barry heard the trumpets of victory blare behind him. _Ha! Take that, Diana!_

The Speedster led the boy - _Okay, I'm gonna dub him Kiddo until I pick out a suitable nickname,_ Barry resolved - to the buffet tables and quickly filled up a tray with Mac 'n cheese, a brownie and, after seeing Kiddo eye the pile hungrily, an apple.

Holding the kid's hand with one, and balancing the tray with the other, Barry led the b- _Kiddo_ to a more secluded part of the mess, where only Black Canary, Captain Marvel and Hawkgirl were sitting. Steeling himself, Barry gently led Kiddo near the table and sat down, not missing the way Kiddo eyed each of the heroes fearfully.

Anger bubbled up inside of the speedster. That was _wrong!_ To see a child afraid of the Justice League or any hero was plain _wrong!_ Children idolized the JL; they all knew facts about Superman and Batman and Barry _knew_ kids at Wally's school constantly debated who would win in a fight! There were debates over the _internet_ for god's sake!

The kid should be running around and laughing, giggling in his adorable way with a cape tied around his neck and staring up in wonder at them all, not ducking his head submissively and in shame!

Slade was gonna get his. Most certainly.

Laurel was the first to notice the kid. "Barry, who is this adorable little angel?" She cooed, eyeing Kiddo up and down. He shied away from her and scooted closer to Barry, who made no move to acknowledge the boy's presence. Instead, Barry just sighed again and started the introductions.

"Kiddo, this is Laurel-" Black Canary nodded and gave the boy a kind smile.

"Captain Marvel-" The Superhero grinned childishly and waved at him. "Hi!"

"-and Shay'era." Hawkgirl nodded and gave the kiddo a small smile. "What is your name sweetie?" Laurel asked.

The boy sunk lower in his seat and made no move to answer. Barry gave him a small smile and nudged him. "You can talk kid. Remember my promise?"

The boy nodded and eyed them all shyly, his voice like ringing bells. "Y-yeah…"

Barry grinned triumphantly and added, "So can you tell Laurel your name?"

 _Please work please work I'm so freaking **tired** of not knowing your **name** -_

"A-apprentice," He whispered. "Master always c-called me Apprentice."

Barry went pale. Oh hell no. Slade wouldn't do that to a _child_ -

But he did. The mercenary did and the speedster wanted to punch the man over and over again because he never told the kid his _name_ -

The three heroes gave Barry a confused look, and Barry gave them a grim smile that clearly said, _I'll tell you later._

Laurel was the first to react. "Apprentice doesn't seem to suit you, sweetie," She said with a smile, but Barry could tell she knew exactly what was wrong with the kid, and her blue eyes screamed _I'm so gonna kill that assassinating bastard._

Shay'era seemed to catch on and she nodded slowly. "Yes. We are going to pick out a new name for you."

"Until we find your real one," Marvel cut in with a childish twinkle in his eyes. He bounced up and down in his seat with a grin. "I got one!" He pointed to the kid's eyes, "Blue!"

Laurel shook her head at her childish companion. "That is a pet name, Marvel," She pointed out, and Barry snickered at Marvel's pout. "Okay…"

Shay'era eyed the man oddly before pointing at his hair. "What about Crow? Or Raven?" She ruffled his hair, earning a flinch and then an adorable pout. "It will match his hair."

The kid sent Barry a desperate look that screamed, _Help me!_ and it was so adorable the speedster couldn't help but laugh.

Barry ruffled the kid's hair again, and while he still flinched, he didn't flinch quite as badly.

 _VICTORY!_ Barry mentally roared, and he could faintly hear J'onn's call of, "Stop that Barry!" Squeak through the ventilation shafts.

All four heroes exchanged looks and laughed, while the boy gave them confused looks.

Shay'era stood and stretched her arms. "I need to go and find John." She gave the boy a kind smile and flashed Marvel and Barry a warning look, "Don't you dare name him anything stupid."

And then she turned around, her wings coming into view and Barry didn't know why he never noticed it before but the kid's eyes went as wide as saucers and before the speedster could prevent it, the kid leapt forward and started to stroke the wings.

And if there was anything Barry - and anyone - learned about Shay'era first hand was that you _don't touch the wings._ Period.

And so Barry shot forward to prevent an electric mace connecting with the kid's head - but it didn't come. Instead Shay'era had a look of wonder on her face as she gazed down at the little boy who was softly stroking her wings with a look of absolute longing on his face. Smiling, Shay'era turned around and faced the boy, kneeling as to look him in the eyes.

"Do you like my wings?" She asked him softly. At his nod, Shay'era held out her hand and smiled. "Do you want a ride?"

At his wide eyes, Barry chuckled and blinked in surprise as the kid turned around, his unsaid words quite clear: _Can I?_

The speedster nodded and gestured, _Go!_ With his hands and grinned as the kid nervously took Shay'era's hand and squeaked in alarm as she lifted him off the ground and into the sky - well, the cafeteria sky, but it was a good ten feet off the ground nothing less.

The Thanagarian swooped and dove and soared in the air, and the kid made no sound or noise, but the look on his face was clear. He felt free.

Barry smiled in spite of himself.

"Kinda looks like a bird," Marvel remarked, and Barry blinked. The man was right The kid looked a lot like a bird as he soared with Shay'era close to the ceiling.

"Yeah…" Barry murmured as he watched the two of them continue to fly, "A bird…"

* * *

 ** _The world tells us_**

* * *

Oliver sighed as he led the ki- _Bird_ down the hall. _Why me?_ He wondered. Barry had to leave the watchtower because of a disaster in Australia, so he was stuck with 'Bird Watching,' Barry had joked. Apparently they were calling the kid Bird until he either told them his name or the Nocturnal Detective figured it out first. But since Bruce was busy trying to catch Bane, Oliver came to the silent conclusion and imminent fact that Bats wouldn't meet the kid for a good while.

So now here he was, leading the ki- _Bird,_ he reminded himself, _we're calling him Bird_ \- to the showers. And after directing the kid to take his clothes off (he left his boxers on for some reason) Oliver didn't see the glimmer of pain in the boy's eyes, or the way he trembled and looked resigned, as if he was expecting this to happen, as if it was his fate. Oliver turned the shower on and left the room.

* * *

 ** _If we do or don't belong,_**

* * *

Appre - No, _Bird_ \- watched as Arrow left the room and he let out a whimper. Why did Red leave him with Arrow? Did he do something wrong? Quickly thinking back, Bird tried to remember if he did something wrong but he couldn't remember because the rules here didn't make any _sense -_

There was banging on the door as Arrow yelled, "Hey kid, get in there! The water doesn't last very long!"

 ** _"You failed me, Apprentice."_**

 ** _"M-master please n-no-"_**

 ** _"Get in the room and stop your stuttering!"_**

 ** _"I'm s-sorry M-master-"_**

 **CRACK!**

Bird whimpered and slid inside the shower and then the pain of the water and being doused in the powerful stream drowned out every last thought in his mind until he was there with his Master and the blood replaced the water and all he can do is _scream -_

Strong hands yanked him out and the water stopped and the pain and suffocating feeling was _gone -_

Bird rubbed his eyes and shivered as he came to his senses and whimpered as a towel was wrapped around him. He missed Red and Funny and Sing and Wings and he wanted to just leave and go back to the familiar place of his Master because nothing they did to him made any _sense to him-_

Arms wrapped themselves around him in a comforting way and Bird melted into them and sobbed as the person rubbed his back awkwardly (Oliver didn't know what to do because he never had _any_ experience with little kids -)

"Is m-my punishment o-over?" Bird whimpered and Ollie froze. Did the kid really think that was what he was trying to do? The hero didn't know what to do with the kid in his arms that was dripping wet and sobbing for all he was worth so the vigilante just held the boy close and answered.

"Shh… It's gonna be okay kid… It's over… It's over…"

Bird fell asleep in those safe arms, and Oliver felt horrible as he looked down at the peaceful face.

* * *

 ** _And then there are the people_**

* * *

Diana 'hmmd' to herself as she looked through piles of clothes. Holding up a simple Flash themed T-shirt, Diana smiled as she remembered Bird's love for Barry and placed it in her bag. Soon she had a Superman hoodie, the typical assortment of shorts and pants, Green Lantern themed pajamas, and after a moment's debate, seven hero themed teddy bears. Age or not, she could see him having no problem with the teddy bears.

She chuckled as she caught sight of a Batman cape and added it to her mounting pile. Soon she had enough clothes for the boy, as well as a few good pairs of tennis shoes, slippers and a lot of socks.

When the cart was overflowing, Diana headed to the checkout counter, the cashier giving her a very odd look. And then all the coupons were given, discounts received and tax applied and Diana blinked at the total. Five hundred and forty seven dollars.

With a mental shrug Diana pulled out one of Bruce's spare credit cards and paid quickly, hauling the items through a Zeta Tube hidden in a back alley close to the Mall and she grinned as she stepped into the Watchtower and made her way to Bird's quarters. _The little one will love this,_ she thought and went to work.

* * *

 ** _who ignore the world_**

* * *

Barry zipped off the Zeta Platform and raced all over, trying to find Oliver and Bird, holding a wrapped package in one hand. In Australia he had picked up the most adorable present for the kid, but after getting Laurel's call of, "Bird needs you," He had almost left without paying. Nearing the private quarters, Barry skidded to a halt when he heard Oliver's voice.

"-started screaming so I ran inside and the kid was in the shower and sobbing his eyes out so I pulled him out and-"

Barry's blood ran cold and he shot through the door, greeted by a despondent Oliver, consoling Laurel and Marvel and concerned J'onn looking down at Bird's sleeping face, who was resting in Shay'era's lap, wings pulled over them both.

Laurel glanced up and gave Barry a small smile, motioning him to come inside. The speedster didn't let the offer hang up to dry; he ran inside and was instantly right next to Shay'era and looking down at Bird's face.

"What happened?" The speedster demanded, turning to look at Oliver. Shay'era placed a hand on his shoulder and answered for the vigilante. "Oliver tried to give Bird a shower, but the boy had some sort of panic attack…"

Barry's shoulders slumped. "I should have stayed with him," He whispered. Laurel shook her head. "No. What's done is done, and all we can do is figure out why Bird-"

"Freaked out?" Marvel supplied from his spot on the floor. Laurel looked like she was fighting the urge to roll her eyes, but nodded instead.

"...why Bird freaked out." She shook her head slightly, but continued anyways. "Oliver, did you say something to Bird?" The hero sighed and frowned. "Yeah… I just told him to hurry up."

"Did you do anything else? A tone of voice, something-"

"I banged on the door," He whispered. He looked up into Laurel's eyes, the sadness clear in them. "Is that what did it?"

They all turned to look at J'onn, who frowned and stepped away from Bird and Shay'era. "I do not know," The Martian said. "Bird has powerful mental blocks keeping me from seeing the truth." He flashed Barry a small smile. "But with you, Barry, I could tell the walls were starting to falter in their job. He trusts you."

Shay'era shook her head. "Wonderful…"

Barry blinked in surprise. "R-really?" He stared at Bird for a moment before a kind smile spread across his face. He looked at J'onn with determination. "I won't let the kid down."

Marvel giggled at this, and they all had one thought going through their heads: _Damn is this guy weird._

A low whine could be heard, and Shay'era let out a small gasp of surprise as she looked down at the dazed and sleepy eyes of Bird, who yawned and stretched, not having registered where he was. Seeing him like this, Barry thought, can get someone to think he's just a normal kid.

And then the peaceful moment faded as Bird jumped out of Shay'era's lap and scrambled underneath a table, shaking in fear.

They all exchanged a glance, and after Marvel giving Barry the most pointed look ever, the speedster nodded and walked over to the table, resting on his knees and putting on a small smile.

"Hey kiddo, did you sleep okay?" Barry asked. Bird looked up from his curled-into-a-ball position and looked hesitant in his answer. Sighing, Barry gently reached out his hand for the boy. "Come on, I bet you're hungry."

Bird shook his head wildly, but his stomach had other ideas, choosing to voice its protest. Bird stared at it in horror.

Barry just laughed. "Come on then, you can't not eat now!"

Bird slowly got out from under the table, eyeing them all nervously. Barry inwardly sighed. Kneeling down, he gently raised his fist in a fist bump. Bird flinched and took a nervous step back, but Barry was persistent. Slowly, he took Bird's hand, and the boy looked absolutely fearful.

"It's not gonna hurt, kiddo," Barry whispered. And then he curled Bird's fingers into the classic fist bump, Barry curled his own fist, and they fist bumped. Bird stared at his hand, then looked up curiously at Barry, as if to say, _What was that?_

Barry smiled. "It's called a fist bump," The speedster explained. Bird's mouth set in an 'O' that caused everyone to laugh. Bird flinched from the noise and huddled close to Barry.

The speedster couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 ** _and everyone in it_**

* * *

Bird followed Red down the hallway, holding the speedster's hand as they walked. Bird's face was stoic, but inside, he was scared, confused and curious. _What did Arrow punish me for?_

 _I ate all my food,_ He thought, stomach growling at the thought of eating more cheese flavored dough stuff. _I sat at the table, I dipped my head in respe-_ He stopped walking for a second, Red giving him a concerned look. Bird didn't see it.

 _That was it._ Master hated when he sat on furniture; worthless nothings didn't deserve such a privilege, after all. He had been so shocked and confused by their rules - which made no sense and _still_ didn't - that he sat down at the table with them; as if they were equals. They weren't. They were his masters, and he was there Apprentice. No amount of food or fist bumping could fix that.

When they reached the cafeteria, Bird stayed close to Red, not wanting to anger any of the other Masters. From past experience, it was always safer to stick close to your Shield and Safe person rather than your Masters.

As Red started to fill up two separate trays, the smallest inkling of a smile tugged its way onto Bird's face. Yes. Red was his Shield, and Safe was his Safe person.

A frown appeared in the place of the smile. So who was his Sword? Glancing around, Bird looked at all of his Master's. Wings and Funny were sitting at a table with Sing, all of them talking amiably. Arrow was polishing his weapons, taking a swig out of a silver flask. Bird didn't miss the piercing look of disapproval Green shot in Arrow's direction.

Bird sucked in a deep breath. He already had his Shield and Safe person. He had his Masters. He didn't have his Sword, but he already had his Punisher; Arrow. By watching and listening and obeying the rules, he would find his Sword.

He had to.

* * *

 ** _and seek to create a place_**

* * *

Bruce ran a hand through his hair as he sat down at the Batcomputer. Honestly, they put 'Bat' before or after everything. Batmobile, Batwing, Batcave…

"You look exhausted, Master Bruce." Bruce allowed himself a small smile as he looked up to see Alfred walking down the stairs, carrying the faithful silver tray with tea and food.

"It does come with this line of work, Alfred," Bruce reminded his friend as the Butler put the tray down at its designated area on the Batcomputer. Bruce's face remained emotionless as he uttered a "Thank you," but Alfred knew the man was extremely grateful for his presence.

A pang of sadness hit him at the thought of Bruce's parents. _If they saw him like this,_ Alfred thought, _I wonder if they would be proud._ Watching the fabled Batman scroll through information as he continued his search, and his life's work, Alfred couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

 _Of course they would. They would love him no matter what choice he made. That was how they were._

A notification popped up on the screen, tearing Alfred's attention away from his musings and Bruce's away from his search for Bane. Bruce frowned as he started to read it.

"What is it, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked curiously, walking over to look at the email. As he read the contents, Alfred's eyes widened in surprise. "Why on earth would you buy five hundred and forty seven dollars worth of child clothes?"

"I didn't, Alfred," Bruce replied and he stood up. "I think Diana has something to do with this."

Alfred sighed as Bruce made his way to the Zeta Tube. "I will keep the directors busy and your meals warm then, Master Bruce."

Bruce allowed himself to smile. "Thanks Alfred."

 **Recognized, Batman B01**

Alfred nodded, a smile making its way onto his face. "You are welcome Bruce."

"DAMIAAAAAAAAN!

The Butler turned to see Jason and little Damian running down the stairs. Well, Jason was running and tripping over his shoelaces while Damian slid down the banister. After close inspection, Alfred couldn't help but let out a tired, "Oh dear," as he caught sight of what Damian was running with: A member Jason's priceless CD collection.

Being the adorable seven year old he was, Damian seeked refuge behind Alfred and blew raspberries at Jason, who looked like he was going to explode.

"Damian," Jason hissed through gritted teeth, "Give me the Joker and Harley bang bang CD!"

Damian went pale at Jason's new choice of words, and Alfred sighed and easily confiscated the item from the seven year old's grasp, ignoring the "Hey!" that came with the simple task.

"Now, before I ask what you just said, Master Jason," Alfred said, not missing the fact that Jason's face went white as a sheet, "Can you please tell me why the both of you are up at five in the morning and running around this house like hooligans?"

"First, we are in the Cave," Damian huffed as he stopped jumping in the air in a vain attempt to get the CD back from Alfred, "And Jason merely said 'Give me that worse than Joker and Harley having a kid CD.'"

The look on Jason's face promised murder.

Alfred turned to face Jason. "I believe, young man, that _that_ is the worse mental image I have experienced." Turning back to Damian, he continued. "Furthermore, I believe the both of you need to return to your rooms immediately."

Alfred opened the CD case and inspected the hidden inside cover and sighed. "And Jason?"

The ten year old gulped. "Y-yes Alfred?"

"When trying to keep such a vulgar thing as this hidden from Bruce and I, remember not to hide it inside a CD cover."

Damian snickered at Jason's red face. "Yeah Jay, don't hide porn where I can find it either!"

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU DAMIAN! JUST YOU WAIT!"

"ALFRED! HELP ME!"

The Butler ignored them as he tucked the picture in his pocket for later.

* * *

 ** _where no one will feel invisible_**

* * *

Diana grinned as she stood back and admired her hard work. The room hadn't been painted yet, but once she got her hands on Jason, Damian and Barbara, that was sure gonna change. For now, the room's walls were all white but she had improvised by sticking glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. Several different nightlights resided in the outlets per her remembrance of the very dark room Bird used to live in.

The dresser was white as well, stock full of clothes and an empty toy bin resided in the corner. Diana couldn't wait to fill it up with goodies for the Little One.

And finally, the bed was decorated with Justice League logos and Flash themed pillows. The teddy bears were scattered throughout the room, with the Wonder Woman and Flash ones resting on the bed.

She couldn't wait to have Bird move into the room; she even had a few spray paint cans and interesting panel designs to put his name on the door.

Feeling quite giddy, Diana left the room and headed to the Mess hall where she knew Barry would be with Bird.

Before she entered, however, she realized something very, very important.

 _How old is he? He doesn't look more than eight… but size can be deceiving,_ she continued, thinking about the fact that Bird was very malnourished. The boy was… well, he was deprived of a childhood. He was starved of everything a growing boy needed; food, warmth and love. He didn't have the reassurance that everything was going to be okay when he saw Slade; he saw his Master, his lord. He saw himself as dirt.

Diana clenched her fists tightly as she pushed the doors open. She would not allow that to happen to another child, male or not. All children deserved to have a childhood. No child deserved the life Bird had lived.

But now he was with them. Bird was going to receive the warmth and affection and food and reassurance he was all but deprived of. She would make sure of it.

* * *

 _ **ever again.**_

* * *

 _I finished it! YEAH!_

 _Okay, so this is gonna be my last update for a bit. School for me is getting out this Thursday, and after that my mom is dragging me and my brother on a two day car ride to South Carolina. We're gonna be there for a good five to seven days, and during that time I'm probably gonna be up at 11 writing stuff down in my journal._

 _So when I come back, I will get right back to typing up the chapter(s) I had written, and finally post the next chapter for Torn and Frayed._

 _So yeah. See ya guys soooooon~!_

 _Line break:_ _The world tells us if we do or don't belong, and then there are the people who ignore the world and everyone in it and seek to create a place where no one will feel invisible ever again._

 _Funny: Marvel/Billy_

 _Sing: Canary/Laurel_

 _Wings: Hawkgirl/Shay'era_

 _Any ideas for Green Lantern/John? REMEMBER THAT GREEN IS ALREADY TAKEN BY J'ONN. I NEED IDEAS FOR LANTERN. HELP!_


	4. IMPORTANT! PLZ READ!

_Sorry guys, but life problems are getting in the way of me writing, and I don't do much during the summer anyways, believe it or not. In reality... I'd say a good month before I update again? Once more, really sorry that it came to this, but life comes before writing, sadly._

 _But the good news is that I have plenty of new crossover ideas, though I'm only going to publish them once I finish Torn and Frayed and Stars Cannot Shine Without Darkness. Monster that I am fans... eeeh, you're gonna be waiting for a pretty long time._

 _:I am going to be re-writing the chapters for all three stories, and will post a new AN to alert you guys so you'll know when to re-read everything._

 _Again, suuuper sorry it came to this._

 _NOTE: I am changing my username to A Lonely Rainbow Girl. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS DETAIL._

 _ **~ The Girl in the Forrest**_


	5. NOT DEAD

_SUCKERS! I'M NOT DEEEAAD!_

 _Yes, I have an excuse this time. Life has had its... difficulties, especially with my parents taking away fanfiction for several months. On the good side, it gave me time to re-think my stories and come up with waaaaay better outlines for them. On the bad side, I wasn't able to read the freshly posted goodness I've become addicted to. Or talk to my friends._

 _DRIFT-219, I AM SO SOWWWYYYYYYY!_

 _So now that I have my precious back, [and everything in my doc manager deleted itself] I shall begin re-writing my stories from the outline up._

 _AND THIS TIME I WILL HAVE THEM PRE-WRITTEN!_

ℳσηstər ʇhαʇ ї αɯ _fans, the remake title is_ Λ ｄｅｍｏｎ αɯѳngsʇ Ŧhə Ғ▲rїєs.

T๏гภ Δηd ƒяαуєd _readers, the remake title is_ Just a Ghost

Տtαrs ƈǟηɳѳt sнiиє witɦѳut DѦ૨knǝṩṩ _people, the title shall be_ I feel like I'm (ｉｎｖｉｓｉｂｌｅ)

Tнє ωαу ωє ωєяє вєfσяє _shall be continued under the same title._

 _I hope to have my chapters posted in the next two months; I know, another long wait, but hey. I'm not dead; that's something, right?_


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